Container framework



Nov. l5, 1960 R. WALSH CONTAINER FRAMEWORK 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 3l, 1956 INVENTOR fat-P7* 14//745/-4 lax/MM, EVM/*Mum* MW ATTORNEYS Nov. 15, 1960 R, L WALSH 2,960,249

CONTAINER FRAMEWORK Filed May 3l, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR /1705ff7. 14074555.

BYMW mhm ATTORNEY Nov. 15, 1960 R L WALSH 2,960,249

CONTAINER FRAMEWORK Filed May 3l, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR regg/P7* 4 M45/1 ATTORNEYS United States Patent O CONTAINER FRAMEWORK Robert L. Walsh, 1416 33rd St. NW., Washington, D.C.

Filed May '31, 1956, Ser. No. 588,379

1 Claim. (Cl. 217-65) This invention relates to a packaging device, more particularly a container for the shipment and storage of goods.

The container of the present invention is a very rugged but lightweight construction, making it adaptable for air transportation and, furthermore, due to its inherent construction, `it is adaptable for effecting heat resistance, minimizing heat transfer and/ r cooling of the contents of the container.

The container is of a building block unit type construction whereby a container of any one of a number of several sizes can be obtained through the assembly of prefabricated panels. The container, made up of prefabricated panels of a particular size, can be used for the shipment or storage of goods, and when it has served its purpose, it can be disassembled and the -units or panels re-used to form other containers.

It is an object of this invention to provide a unit panel which can be assembled with other similar panels and 4fabricated into a container of any one of a number of several sizes.

YIt is another object of this invention to provide for the construction of containers from standard panels which are rugged in construction, lightweight and provide a low coeicient of heat transfer.

Further and other objects become apparent from a description of the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals refer to like parts.

In the drawings:

Figure l shows a container made up of unitary panels in accordance with this invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a corner of the container shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a perspective view partly in section of a panel in accordance with this invention;

Figure 4 is a section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure l;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective View of .the panel assembly construction; and

Figure 6 is an enlarged sectional view through the edge of a panel showing a modified construction.

The packaging device or container shown in Figure l consists of an assembly of similar unitary panels which are shown as square panels. Square panels are most adaptable to a universal container construction, but it is contemplated that other shapes of panels lmay be used, in accordance with this invention.

The container or packaging `device of Figure 1 consists of panels 1 assembled to form a container three panels long, Itwo panels high, and two panels wide. The adjacent edges of panels 1 are formed to be secured together by an interlocking strip. A typical construction will be -illustrated by consideration of panels 2, 3 and 4. These panels are arranged edge-to-edge. lnterlocking strip 5 joins panels 2 and 3 and interlocking strip 6 joins panels 3 and 4. Interlocking strips 5 and 6 are as long as the adjacent edges of the panels 2, 3 and 4. A similar arrangement of panels 7, 8 and 9 is 2,960,249 Patented Nov. i5., 1960 made with interlocking strips 10 and 11. An interlocking strip 12 locks the two assemblies of panels together and extends as long as the length of the three panels assembled. A similar four panel array can be made for an end of the container. The sides and ends are joined by corner strips 13, thus the four sides of the container can be joined. Top and bottom assemblies of panels can be made of the requisite number of panels or units. The top assembly of panels is joined to the side and end assembly of panels by strips 1'4 and 15.

In the arrangement shown in Figure 2, it will be noted that strip 13 joining the side and the ends at the vertical corner extends only as high as the panel assembly. Strip 14 extends only as wide as the panel assembly. Strip 15 extends over the over-all length of the container and interlocks with strips 13 and 14. It is the last member put in place in the assembly of the container and the rst to be removed when opening the container.

The basic panel or unit is shown in Figure 3. Panel 1 consists of a pair of surface members 2t) and 21 each comprising a pair of sheets, 22-23 and 2-4-25, respectively. The material of these sheets may be a ber glass reinforced plastic or ber glass reinforced thermosetting resin, or any stabilized fiber glass sheet construction which is strong and durable and capable of resisting moisture. Surface member 20 consists of sheets 22 and 23 having spacer ribs 26 extending generally parallel to the sides of the sheet, to space and lend rigidity to the surface sheets. Spacer strips 26 do not extend to the outer edge and can be arranged to permit the circulation of fluid. A quadrilateral frame consisting of members 27 surrounds the surface sheets. The inner edge of -member 27 is slotted to receive sheets 22-23 and 24F-25. The outer edge of member 27 has a groove 28 formed therein to lock with a similarly formed tongue 29 on interlocking strip 30 as shown in Figure 4. The complete panel therefore as shown in Figure 3 consists of the quadrilateral frame consisting of members 27 in which are assembled the two surface members 20 and 21. Any type of fastening means 31, such as bolts or rivets, may be employed to extend through member 27 and surface members 2) and 21 to secure the assembly into a unitary construction. Depending upon the strength and weight requirements, members 27 may be metal extrusions, or extruded or molded ber glass reinforced plastic.

Figure 5 shows an exploded view of an assembly of panels numbered 2, 3 and 4 to correspond with the dcscription of similarly numbered panels in Figure 1, in which strips 5, `6 and 12 are shown, rather than solid, as of sheet metal construction. Such a sheet metal construction may be formed inexpensively by rolling strip stock through dies with subsequent bending operations and will serve quite adequately as a lightweight, interconnecting, locking strip, as distinguished from the solid extrusion 30 shown in Figure 4.

If additional strength in the unit or panel or a iiush surface is required, a construction such as that shown in Figure 6 may Ibe used, in which surface members 20" and 21' have the outer sheets 22 and 25 formed with their edges bent so that they will iit into grooves formed in the inner side of members 27. A iiller strip 35 is then laid in the grooves and a fastening device 31', such as a bolt or rivet, extends through the filler strips on each side of the asse-mbly and also through sheets 22 through 25 in extrusion 27' to fasten the assembly together. The pull-out strength of sheets 22 through 25' thus assembled to 27 is `considerably greater than the tearing strength of sheets 22 to 25 around the rivets 31 by reason of this method of assembly.

Additional strength and sealing qualities can be gained by forming certain of the sheets, as shown on 24', with a bead 42 at the edge in such manner that the corresponding frame elements will slide over the bead. This wlould primarily apply to two opposite edges of the inner s eets.

As noted above, this construction adapts itself to heat insulation or minimizing the transfer of heat through the wall of the container, or cooling the container. As shown in 'Figure 4, passages 36 are shown formed in frame member 27. Passages 37 afford communication between spaces between members 22-23, and 24-25, and passage 36. One end of passage 36 can be plugged by a threaded plug and the other end secured to a means to evacuate the space between sheets 22-23 and 24-25 to lower the coecient of heat transfer through the wall of the container. It should be understood that the space between sheets 23 and 2'4 may correspondingly be connected to passage 36 if it is desirable to evacuate this space. A plurality of holes 3S may be provided in the bottom of groove 28 in member 27 to alford communication between passage 36 and the bottom of groove 28. A groove 39 is formed along tongue 29 of member 30 for a distance shorter than the edge of one panel so that it will span one or more of the holes 38. Passage 40 interconnects grooves 39 so that the plurality of panels may be interconnected for the evacuation of spaces between the sheets comprising the panels, or for the circulation of heating or cooling medium. Y

As shown in Figure 5, connection 41 may communicate with one or more of the spaces between panel sheets 22, 23, 24, 2S for the evacuation of such spaces. Under some circumstances, it may be desirable to evacuate the space or to insert gases under pressure into the spaces between the sheets of the panel.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that a packaging device or container for the shipment of goods is provided that is quite adaptable since a variety of sizes of container may be formed from uniform standard panels. Containers in accordance with this invention can be disassembled at the point to which they are shipped and reassembled -into other size containers for reshipment. Provision is also made and described in the foregoing specification for decreasing the coefficient of heat transfer through the walls of the container.

It is to be understood that certain changes, alterations, modifications or substitutions may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

A packaging device comprising an assembled container having top, bottom and sides formed from a plurality of similar panels placed edge-to-edge to form a strip of panels, said panels consisting of a pair of surface members each comprising a pair of sheets having spacing members therebetween, the edges of said surface sheets secured to the inside edges of a quadrilateral frame member, the outer edges of said frame member having grooves formed therein and a strip member positioned between the adjacent edges of said panels formed to be inserted between said panels to interlock with the edge grooves thereof, said strip members extending the full length of the edges of said panels in said grooves, other strip members extending longitudinally of the edges of said strip of panels and formed -to interlock with the edges of each panel of said strip of panels to secure a plurality of strips of panels together, and corner strip members formed on adjacent edges to interlock with tbe edges of said panel assemblies to complete said container.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 333,903 Totman Ian. 5, 1886 653,514 Kasschau July 10, 1900 1,154,622 Fangel Sept. 28, 1915 1,610,244 Bonaccolta Dec. 14, 1926 1,985,992 Hayman Jan. 1, 1935 2,009,268 Kotrbaty July 23, 1935 2,011,557 Anderegg Aug. 20, 1935 2,017,441 Kotrbaty Oct. 15, 1935 2,119,438 OLeary May 31, 1938 2,150,182 Munters Mar. 14, 1939 2,179,585 Brinkoeter Nov. 14, 1939 2,179,843 Copeland Nov. 14, 1939 2,318,944 Ingersoll et `al. May 1l, 1943 2,372,983 Richardson Apr. 3, 1945 2,495,862 Osborn Jan. 31, 1950 2,718,583 Noland et al. Sept. 20, 1955 2,729,355 Gaston Jan. 3, 11956 2,770,386 Mitchell et al Nov. 13, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 379,836 Great Britain Sept. 8, 1932 

